The days of being a spiritual mentor in Meiman.

Chapter 4454 Dark Prelude (Thirty-Nine)
"What about the one they're investigating now?"

"You said you're investigating. If I were to collude with him, wouldn't Batman be furious with me?"

“On the surface, you really can’t collude,” Schiller laughed, “and you can’t actively collude either, otherwise you’ll easily get caught by Batman.”

Bruce chuckled and nudged Schiller on the shoulder, saying, "I didn't expect you to take this job. I thought it would be that old ox doing it again."

“If the agent knew you said that, he would definitely shoot you.” Schiller rolled his eyes slightly.

“I know you did this for me,” Bruce said. “So? Did you find out anything about him? Someone who could keep Batman investigating for so long must be no ordinary person, right?”

"It looks alright," Schiller said after a pause. "The way he resurrected his family and used emotional blackmail is quite clever. If the Batman from that universe hadn't been so difficult to deal with, he might have actually succeeded."

"Well, his judgment isn't good either. He picked the most difficult universe after all that searching." Bruce said with a hint of disdain.

Schiller shook his head and said, "The situation in that universe is indeed the worst, and Batman's prime has passed. If I hadn't gone there, this battle would have been really difficult for them. But precisely because their primes are staggered, each of them is very independent and capable. With just a little external intervention, they can quickly stand on their own. So, it's quite impressive that that guy has been able to fight them for so long."

Bruce nodded and said, "I haven't been able to squeeze any more money out of Barbatos lately. The Dark Alliance is really difficult to deal with. Even if he's not very good, I'll have to make do with him."

"However, it should be noted that he uses the power of death, that is, to resurrect the dead. If you want to use him, you may have to die once first."

"He's amazing that he could pull me back from heaven and bring me back to life," Bruce said dismissively, curling his lip.

"Shall I arrange for you to meet?"

Bruce shook his head and said, "It's not the right time yet. We need to wait for an opportunity, or rather, you can create an opportunity for me."

“Alright,” Schiller nodded. “I reckon it won’t be long before they start to panic. What role do you plan to play?”

"I haven't thought about it yet, what do you think?"

"Right now, practical value is more important; they're short-handed. Also, they're reluctant to reveal their superpowers and need someone with lethal capabilities. How about you play a supervillain?"

"You mean a superpowered person? That won't do. If they're too omnipotent, I'll be doing all the work. They have to be the kind of person you can't easily make a move against, and when they do, it's a guaranteed kill."

"That's the old ox you're talking about," Schiller snorted.

"You mean an agent? That doesn't seem like a bad idea..."

“Law enforcement won’t work either; they probably won’t trust you. You’ll have to be an assassin,” Schiller said. “I’ll create an opportunity for you to act. All you have to do is fire. You’re a good shot, aren’t you?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve been practicing my skills a lot lately.” Bruce shook his neck and rubbed his wrists, then said, “That metal shell is too difficult to deal with. Sometimes I really wonder if we’re even the same species. If I keep practicing with it like this, I’ll become Batman again.”

Schiller knew he was referring to Arkham Batman. They'd been at odds for a while. Arkham Batman was a true vengeful spirit, never holding grudges; he'd killed Bruce countless times in the Battlegrounds alone, and his promotion matches were all thanks to Bruce's points.

Clearly, Bruce was being pushed to his limit. After all, he was a former Batman; he certainly had some skill when it came to training. Schiller relaxed and said, "Okay, wait for my news."

Then, just as Clark and Diana had suspected, this whole series of events was orchestrated by Schiller, including the theft of artifacts and documents, Diana's framing, and the president's assassination attempt. Purposes like exerting pressure or finding evidence of an imposter were irrelevant. The most important thing was to provide Bruce with a stage, allowing him to make his debut and successfully join Death's team.

So far, the plan is progressing very successfully. Amanda is very enthusiastic about Bruce. Although this intelligence chief lacks foresight and is quite wicked, he has definitely got the hang of things after so many years in this industry.

That shot was nothing short of earth-shattering to professionals. If there were a ranking of professional assassins, Bruce could easily top the list with just that one shot.

Such top-tier individuals are rare even for Amanda. In all her years in the business, she'd never met a killer like him. Even if it wasn't for assassinating the president, but for her future career, she would naturally be incredibly attentive and considerate, practically showering Bruce with praise.

Of course, this is mainly because they're already on the same ship with no way out. Assassinating the president is a huge deal, and Amanda isn't using leverage against people like she used to, precisely because of this. Shooting the president is already the biggest leverage; wouldn't the other party be able to do whatever they want with her? So giving her a friendly look wouldn't hurt; maybe she could even drag a few more unlucky people down with her.

It was precisely because of this significant leverage that Amanda confidently entrusted Bruce with the primary offensive role. The discussion centered on him, with everyone else providing cover, all so he could fire the final, crucial shot.

But clearly, some people were unhappy with this arrangement. Damian remained silent, sitting in his seat, staring intently at Bruce. He seemed to be lost in thought, yet unwilling to let anyone see it; his expression was contorted to the extreme.

It's important to know that when Damian was born, Batman was quite young, about the same age as Bruce. This reminded him of that era. However, his father couldn't possibly be that young. So, this young man who looks so much like him could be one of his father's other sons.

Thinking of this, Damian felt a surge of anger. He clenched his fists tightly. That rainy night, Batman's unmoved attitude and cold words when he saw him, his nonchalant demeanor—everything made sense.

He had another child, who resembled him more and was more outstanding. His youngest son, who died young, was no longer so worth cherishing.

No wonder he said he lacked long-term vision and felt that talking to him was a waste of time. Because he was no longer of value, he shouldn't have come back.

“Damian, what do you think? Damian? Damian?” Amanda threw down her pen in dissatisfaction, looking at Damian and saying, “It’s work time now, who are you trying to fool with that look on your face? If you don’t want to participate, then get out…”

Damian slammed his pen down and left. Amanda stared coldly at his retreating figure, then said, "Ignore him, he'll be back in a bit. Let's continue."

After leaving the conference room, Damian didn't know where to go. Although he was now a fugitive, he knew the police couldn't catch him, so he left the base almost unconsciously, looking in one direction.

A cold wind blew by, and Damian became slightly more alert. He realized something was wrong. If that guy named Neville really was Batman's son, how could he become an assassin? And how could he assassinate the president?

It's important to remember that Batman and Superman have always been on the same side. One tells a colossal lie, the other tries to cover it up—they're practically the perfect partners. If he were to kill Superman, it could very well undo all of Batman's efforts.

Damian suddenly thought of a possibility: Could it be that his surviving son also disliked him?

Yes, that kind of person, obsessed with fighting crime, never considering the consequences. Knowing the Joker was going to throw him off, he still pushed him. So heartlessly causing the death of his own son, who would like him?

Thinking this, Damian felt a twisted sense of pleasure. He would just push away everyone around him, one by one, until he was all alone. This was his retribution.

Damian took a few deep breaths. No, he had to go back and see. He needed to see the old bat's miserable state with his own eyes; he needed to make him know that it was all his fault.

Damian headed straight towards Gotham. Their location wasn't far from New Jersey. It didn't take Damian long to arrive at Wayne Manor.

He stood outside for a while, but the dark emotions within him became increasingly unbearable. After a long while, he simply climbed over the courtyard wall and entered the living room. As soon as he entered, he saw Batman sitting alone on the sofa.

Batman turned his head and saw Damian, a hint of surprise on his face. But he quickly acted as if nothing had happened and said, "You're back."

Damian felt his heart clench. How could he be so nonchalant, as if he had just gone out to play and was only now returning home, as if he had never left him at all?
“Batman,” Damian shouted, “is Neville your son?”

"Who is Neville?" Batman asked.

Damian wanted Batman to stop pretending, but then he thought it was probably an alias. So he said, "I met someone who looks a lot like you, but much younger. Is he your son?"

Batman thought for a moment, then said, "You mean Bruce?"

Damian's eyes widened instantly, his breath catching in his throat for a moment. He exclaimed incredulously, "You gave him your name?!"

In Western countries, it is quite normal for fathers and sons to share the same name. In other words, receiving the name of one's grandfather or father is a sign of how much they value the child.

The name "Damian" is quite good. Although it means "conqueror" in Latin, believers often regard him as an "angel" or "apostle of God." Such religious names are usually imbued with deep expectations. Like "Thomas," it can be considered an inheritance from his grandfather's name.

But that guy was also named Bruce! Bruce Wayne gave him his name!
Damian couldn't describe his feelings. He felt it was all fake. His father could never have done such a thing. It was like thinking someone was inherently cold and uncaring, until one day you see how gentle and considerate they are to others, and your whole worldview collapses.

Batman is a good father, even Damian has to admit. He's responsible, never complains, and gives everything he needs. Except for the final battle, where his performance wasn't perfect, he's otherwise impeccable and beyond reproach.

But now, he wasn't just dutiful to someone; he openly favored him. And this was after his death; he showed no grief whatsoever, quickly finding a replacement and even preferring the newcomer. This was driving Damian nearly mad.

Those dark thoughts kept surging, but he couldn't generate any other emotions. Instead, he trembled involuntarily, and then an uncontrollable raging fire ignited within him.